½ Picanha Bbq Recipe

Trim and portion

If not already trimmed, leave a 1/4–1/2 inch (6–12 mm) fat cap on the picanha. Remove any silver skin or excessively thick hard fat. If you have a whole picanha of about 1 kg (½ picanha), keep it whole for grilling; if it's much larger, cut into 2 pieces of roughly equal weight.

Score fat

Lightly score the fat cap in a crosshatch pattern with shallow 1/4-inch cuts, taking care not to cut into the meat. This helps render fat and allows seasoning to penetrate.

Season

Generously coat the fat cap and sides with the 2 tbs coarse sea salt, rubbing it into the scored cuts. Lightly season the meat side with 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of salt if desired. Let rest uncovered in the refrigerator for 30–60 minutes at room temperature for 20 minutes if you prefer, or up to 1 hour to let seasoning adhere.

Prepare grill

Set up a charcoal or gas grill for two-zone cooking: one area with high direct heat and one area with medium-to-low indirect heat. Aim for a direct-heat zone around 500–550°F (260–290°C) and an indirect zone around 350°F (175°C). If using a charcoal grill, bank coals to one side. For pellet grills, set to high for sear then lower to medium.

Render and sear (fat-side first)

Place the picanha fat-side down over the direct high heat. Sear for 3–5 minutes until the fat is deeply browned and some fat has rendered and flames have calmed. Watch carefully to avoid flare-ups; move to indirect briefly if flames get high. Rotate occasionally for even browning.

Finish over indirect heat

After a good fat sear, move the picanha to the indirect zone, fat-side up. Close the lid and cook until internal temperature reaches desired doneness: 120–125°F (49–52°C) for rare, 130–135°F (54–57°C) for medium-rare. For a 1 kg picanha, expect roughly 20–35 minutes on indirect heat depending on grill temperature. Use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part (not touching fat).

Rest

Remove the picanha from the grill and tent loosely with foil. Rest for 8–12 minutes to let juices redistribute; carryover will raise temperature a few degrees.

Slice

Slice across the grain into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch (6–12 mm) thick slices, keeping the nice fat cap on each slice. Cutting against the grain ensures tenderness.

Top each slice with a small dab (about 1/2 tbs) of softened garlic butter to melt over the warm meat and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.

Serve immediately with lime or lemon wedges on the side for squeezing, and additional coarse salt available to taste.